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Help Earth Foundation: Power with a Purpose

Help Earth Foundation (HEF) is Altavoz’s social change arm. Our very own Nelson Jacobsen created it with a mission to leverage artistic content to support charitable efforts at the micro level – small to mid-sized nonprofits and larger organizations with local offices that are working hard to make a difference in communities across the United States.

The foundation is the outgrowth of Tsunami BandAide, which was established to raise funds in support of the Boxer Day Tsunami relief effort in 2004. The work in bringing together entertainers and the NGO community to support that cause led to the launch of the Help Earth Foundation. Today, as a nonprofit committed to helping the earth and those that inhabit it, HEF seeks opportunities to support long-term, as well as emergency initiatives.

In one area, HEF is working with the Digital Humanitarian Network in support of humanitarian response to 21st century issues. For example, HEF has focused on problems caused by Typhoon Yolanda by using its extensive social media knowledge to spread awareness. Social media also helps to collaborate efforts in order to provide food, water and medical care to the victims of natural disasters.

Another way HEF makes a difference is by acting as repository for a variety of networks and efforts so that they are not duplicated. These networks can instead combine and coordinate similar activities in order to make an even greater impact.

Finally, HEF and its staff have been deeply involved in Crisis Commons and Random Hacks of Kindness to help people and communities in need. To that end, on Dec 7-8, 2013, HEF is hosting a Random Hacks of Kindness event at Alice Deal Middle School in Washington, DC. The purpose of this event is to develop practical, open source technology to solve complex challenges that the world and local communities face. Developers, designers, scientists, artists, activists and students will come together to create and build new solutions to relevant challenges by using public data, code and technology.

At Altavoz, we believe in independence and freedom to control and facilitate your own creations. Whether it be art, music, or a response to a natural disaster, people and communities should be able to have a say in what happens. What makes Altavoz different is our commitment to making the world a better place. Through the Help Earth Foundation, we do just that.